Page 29 of Trapped for Her Blood
“To protect me?”
“No, well, yes.” Zuben smoothes his hair, although I can’t imagine even a single strand was out of place. “What I meant was—do you know what he did to become a prisoner in this dungeon? I am only trying to judge what kind of danger he poses.”
I turn to look into Zuben’s eyes, offended on Axe’s behalf, but I realize he’s only concerned for my safety. “You and I are prisoners,” I argue. “Didwedo something terrible?”
Zuben frowns slightly, and then looks away. “You make a strong point. It is clear that not all creatures down here are criminals per se, but I would still like to know why the bear was imprisoned.”
I pull Zuben’s jacket over my knees, creating a cozy cocoon. Axe said something about the vampire who made him, but we never got into the details. We never got past his being captive in that cage by a vampire who had the power to make him act against his will. “Axe should tell you his story himself.”
“That is acceptable.” His brows draw together for a moment. “How did you meet the bear and come under his protection?”
This partismine to share. “After you and Ryker left me—”
“I did not leave you.” His expression is fiercely serious in the firelight. “I wastakenawayfrom you.”
Nodding, I shift my legs to the side so I can more easily face him. “Where is Ryker?”
“He was unharmed when I last saw him. Please continue.”
“No.” I raise my chin. It’s my turn to be stubborn. “Before I answer your questions, you need to tell me what’s going on with Ryker. Is he okay?”
“No need to waste your concern on the pirate.” Zuben frowns. “He isveryadept at taking care of himself.”
I exhale in relief. “Then he’ll come back for me. Or find some way to get me released. You too, I bet,” I add quickly, less sure about that part.
Zuben laughs. A short sharp outburst that says exactly what he thinks of my statement.
“What?” I ask. “What aren’t you telling me?”
He clears his throat and then looks into my eyes, his expression softening like he’s about to deliver bad news.
I’m terrified for Ryker. “Tell me.” My throat tightens around the words.
Blinking, he nods. “It is clear to me that you have formed anattachmentto the pirate.” He shakes his head as if the idea’s crazy. “Therefore, I very much regret what I must inform you.”
“Just tell me!” Nerves are scrambling inside me. “Is Ryker…dead?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “But it is important that you understand that Ryker is a pirate, through and through.”
“I already know that.” Anxiety’s prickly cold fingers crawl through me, poking everywhere—even jabbing uncertainty into my heart. Ryker claimed he was a bad man, even though everything he’s done since I’ve known him says the opposite. “Zuben, where is Ryker?”
He straightens his back and looks into my eyes. “I do not know the pirate’s current whereabouts or condition, not with certainty. But you should forget about him. He has forgotten about you.”
I open my mouth, but he holds up his hand to let me know he has more to say. “While I do not know his current location, there is one thing about which I am certain: Ryker has made a deal to free himself, sacrificing you.”
My stomach tightens, and I shake my head, but my neck feels stiff. What Zuben’s saying rings true on some level, and as much as I fight the feeling, deep down I already knew that Ryker abandoned me.
I was fooling myself to think he’d come back for me. Hurt stabs into my heart, with shards as sharp as the cold down here.
“You’re wrong,” I say arguing both with Zuben and my gut, but the words sound false on my lips, like a childhood fairy tale I’m not ready to accept isn’t true. And I’m not sure which of Zuben’s revelations is more horrific, that I could be trapped in here indefinitely, or that Ryker might have abandoned me.
“Even if he can’t come to get me himself,” I say, my voice shaky, “he’ll send for me. He’ll tell someone that I’m in here by mistake. He’ll make sure I’m released.” My throat closes around my breaking voice.
Maybe I need fairy tales to survive.
“You seem very certain,” Zuben says flatly. “I regret that I am equally certain, and I also deeply regret that this causes you pain, but Ididtry to warn you about him.”
“You’re biased,” I say, my voice sounding strangled. “And youcan’tbe certain.”
